CLASSIC SERMONS by Siva Moodley

Understanding sin, transgressions and iniquities

 [ LPM Sunday Service - 15th July 2007]

 

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isa 53:4-5)

 

Sickness comes from sin, transgressions and iniquities ( Ps 38, John 5:14)

 

There is a difference between sin, transgressions and iniquities

 

Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. (Exo 34:7)

 

And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed. (Isa 1:28) 

 

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. (Dan 9:24)

 

SIN

 

Webster dictionary definition of Sin — "The voluntary departure of a moral agent from a known rule of rectitude or duty, prescribed by God; any voluntary transgression of the divine law, or violation of a divine command. Sin is either a positive act in which a known divine law is violated, or it is the voluntary neglect to obey a positive divine command, or a rule of duty clearly implied in such command. Sin comprehends not actions only, but neglect of known duty, all evil thoughts, purposes, words and desires, whatever is contrary to God’s commands or law."

 

Bible Definitions of Sin:

  • 1 John 3:4 "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law" (cf. Numbers 5:6).

  • 1 John 5:17 "All unrighteousness is sin:" (unrighteousness— cf. Romans 6:13,18,20).

  • Romans 14:23 "[F]or whatsoever is not of faith is sin."

  • Proverbs 24:9 "The thought of foolishness is sin..."

  • John 16:9 "Of sin because they believe not on me" (unbelief).

  • Psalms 78:32 "For all this they sinned still, and believed. not for his wondrous works" (unbelief— cf. Deuteronomy 1:41).

  • James 4:17 "[T]o him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (omission— cf. Genesis 20:9; Leviticus 5:1).

  • Leviticus 19:17 "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart... and not suffer sin upon him" (hate).

  • Willful Sin: Hebrews 10:26 "For if we sin willfully... there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,"

  • Sins of Ignorance: Leviticus 4:13 "And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord..."

  • Leviticus 4:2 "[I]f a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments..."

Transgressions

 

Transgression— "The act of passing over or beyond any law or rule of moral duty; the violation of a law or known principal of rectitude; breach of command.“ - Webster Dictionary

 

Bible Definitions of Transgression:

 

James 2:11 "[I]f thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law."

 

James 2:3-9 "And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing,…But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

 

Isaiah 24:5 "The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant."

 

Iniquity

 

Webster Dictionary definition of Iniquity — "Injustice; unrighteousness; a deviation from rectitude.... want of rectitude in principal.... wickedness; or any act of injustice."

 

Bible Definitions of Iniquity:

 

Psalms 36:2 "For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful." (hate)

 

Ezekiel 33:13 "[I]f he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity... (self righteousness).

 

Psalms 28:3 "[T]he workers of iniquity... mischief is in their hearts" (mischief— cf. Psalms 7:14).

 

II Samuel 19:19 "[L]et not my lord impute iniquity unto me... thy servant did perversely... (perversion— Ezekiel 9:9; Job 6:30)

 

Ezekiel 18:24 "But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity..." (unrighteousness— cf. Ezekiel 3:20).

 

Daniel 9:5 "[A]nd have committed iniquity... and have rebelled..." (rebellion).

 

Hosea 9:9 "They have deeply corrupted themselves... he will remember their iniquity..." (corruption).

 

Ezekiel 18:18 "[B]ecause he cruelly oppressed... he shall die in his iniquity" (oppression).

 

Hosea 5:5 [T]he pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity..." (pride).

 

Leviticus 26:43 [I]niquity: because, even because they despised my judgments..." (despise— cf. Numbers 15:31).

 

I Samuel 3:13 [I] will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile..." (vileness)

 

Numbers 5:15 "[A]n offering of jealousy... bringing iniquity to remembrance." (jealousy)

 

I Samuel 15:23 "[S]tubbornness is as iniquity..." (stubbornness).

 

Job 15:5 [T]hy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty" (craftiness).

 

Isaiah 32:6 [T]he vile person... his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy..." (hypocrisy).

 

Summary:

  • Sins can be both voluntary (willful) and involuntary (sins of ignorance).

  • Any transgression is sin.

  • A transgression always involves God’s law.

  • Sin does not always involve a transgression of God’s law (Proverbs 24:9; Leviticus 16:16).

  • One can be a sinner or a transgressor, but not an iniquitor (no such word).

  • There is no offering under the law for iniquity.

  • There are distinct differences between the three words (Isaiah 1:28, Exodus 34:7).

  • There are overlapping areas of the three words.

  • Sin corresponds primarily with the soul and mind.

  • Transgression corresponds with the body and actions.

  • Iniquity corresponds primarily with the spirit, and attitude

 

Iniquity

 

Now the works of the flesh are clearly revealed, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, fightings, jealousies, angers, rivalries, divisions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkennesses, revelings, and things like these; of which I tell you before, as I also said before, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21)

 

For let fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness not be once named among you, as becomes saints, neither baseness, foolish talking, jesting, which are not becoming, but rather giving of thanks. For you know this, that no fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous one (who is an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Eph 5:3-5)

 

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Mat 7:21-23)

 

  • Iniquity = lawlessness, state of the heart, attitude of the heart

  • Sinners and transgressors have “deep sorrow/ anguish for their sin” and will experience forgiveness when they repent

  • Those that practice iniquity justify their sin and may even become habitual in their sin, experiencing no forgiveness while they practice iniquity.

  • Those that commit iniquity practice lawlessness in the absence of relationships/ accountability, hence will often hide in crowds or places where they don't need to be accountable.

 

How to end Iniquity:

 

For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. (Psa 38:17-18)

 

Body, Soul & Spirit

 

Man is a three part being

 

I Thessalonians 5:23 "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

 

Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

 

Upon conversion the soul and spirit are separated from the joints and marrow (body) by the word of God via God’s operation made without hands (Colossians 2:11).

 

According to Moses a separation is in effect at death, for when Rachel died it is said that "her soul was in departing" (Genesis 35:18). Rachel’s soul departed from her body.

 

Summary: The spirit is the part of man that gives him God consciousness through his mind (Ephesians 4:23). The soul reveals to man his self consciousness through his heart and the body identifies man with world consciousness through his flesh.”

 

The spirit is saved through salvation.

The soul is being saved through sanctification.

The body is going to be saved through redemption.

The spirit is sealed in a day by the new birth.

The soul is secured daily by new boundaries.

The body is salvaged in departure by the new body.

 

The Spirit Ephesians 2:1 "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;"

Romans 8:10 "And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness."

Romans 7:9 "For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died."

 

When Paul was a child, (prior to reaching the age of accountability, which varies from child to child), he had a live spirit. Once he had a knowledge of the law and realized that his wrong was sin against God his spirit died (Romans 7:9) and he had to be born again (John 3:7)

 

The book of Romans explains clearly the destination of a child that dies in innocence. Such a child has no knowledge of God’s law and "...where no law is, there is no transgression." (Romans 4:15). Therefore where there is no transgression there is no sin, "...for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20). Consequently sin is not imputed to the child’s account (Romans 4:8) and he does not need saving by reason of his innocent state.

 

Adam and Eve needed no covering (Genesis 3:21) before the fall because they had no knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:5), just as the children of those that died in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 1:39).

End of part 1

Siva Moodley

www.sivamoodley.com

 

© Copyright 2007 Logos Prophetic Ministries. All rights reserved. -- Designed By: Logos Prophetic Ministries.